Wednesday, June 30, 2010

New patio furniture!

Today was an exciting day. We had Tara from Bark Buster over again. We needed a reminder lesson, because Denny is so stubborn, and is making Happy all anxious with his yapping, and biting. We didn't do all the exercises we should have, sometimes it's just not possible, and our daily routine was disrupted as well, and you notice when something's up when one or two pups start gnawing the base board of the stairs.The other day Denny yapped for an hour before settling down, and by that time, we all were ready to tear our hair out, Happy was howling in frustration.

We stood for about 15 minutes when Tara got here, after we let Denny out of the crate. He wanted to jump up on her, and greet her and be petted etc. get as much attention as possible, while Happy was getting unhappy and was running up and down the stairs. We couldn't even talk because Denny was so loud. Anyway, patience is what we need, and less attention is what Denny needs. He's very pushy, and before you realize it, you do what he wants you to do.

We called her to help us with walking him. He's still pulling like crazy and getting stronger. Happy walks wonderfully, since the first day Tara came and helped us with him. It's a pleasure to walk him now.

We didn't get out of the driveway for a long time with Denny though. Every time he passed us, we would change direction. Of course that was nothing new to us, but what we didn't realize, while doing this, it was attention training for Denny. At the end of a long hour, he was trotting behind us, lovely as a lamb, while chewing on a pine cone, like it was some chewing tobacco. He was really pooped once we were done.

He's very destructive too, so he's not getting any freedom in the house. Either he'll be in the crate, or on the leash with me or my son. They both can run as much as they like, every time we go out in the backyard, and we have to work on our walks, so that we get further then the end of the driveway.I actually made it to the mailbox with him, which is down the road.

The other exciting thing was the delivery of our new patio furniture!

We went to look at patio furniture last week. It's all the same style everywhere. I liked the chairs with the green stripes, but they were last years models, and they could scare up only two intact chairs, from all the different stores. At first he didn't really want to sell them, but I insisted I liked them the most. We did want four chairs though, so we got the other two, not the exact style, but I didn't care, as long as I got my green ones. The other two are beige! There were no other colors this year, how boring!I loved the umbrella as soon as I saw it. What a lovely warm green it is!

We didn't have a BBQ for the last five years at least. This year we decided that we'd like to have one, and it will come in handy, when we don't have a kitchen during August/September renovations in the house. We don't know how to grill really, so we bought some samples in the store and threw them on the grill. I like it because there are no pans to wash, and it's fast and smells good.Happy got a whiff of it, and licked his chops in anticipation! He did get a mushroom, and some chicken later, after we were done. He played with the mushroom for a while, before he ate it. I don't think it's his favorite food. :o)

The pups patio furniture is not unlike ours, and both use it as much as possible.

It was also a good mail day. I've got my raffle prizes! It's some Wollmeise yarn in the colorway "Taube". It's lovely. And a project bag from the yarn floozies. I'm thrilled with my prizes! :o)

O.K. off I go, sitting on my new deck, enjoying a lovely evening, and after that a walk in our driveway! ;o)

It's good that, eventually, you are able to be The Leader, instead of Denny. The trainer must be very good!! How wonderful that Happy is such a good and clever boy!! I love their furniture and yours too. What a pain that they didn't have 4 green chairs, but I like the combination of the two colours and the wonderful umbrella!

It seems like I say "poor Happy" a lot. It sounds like Denny has some good potential and I totally get the not always having time to reinforce training thing. Looks like you're all ready for a summer out on the patio!

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About Me

I live in Canada now, but I'm originally from Austria.
My White Shepherd Happy, and Denny the mutt, are my constant companions. Maggie is my sons dog, but she's with me most of the day. I have two grown kids too ;o) by the way.